Spike (gridiron football)
Encyclopedia
In gridiron football
, a spike of the ball
is a play in which the quarterback
intentionally throws the ball at the ground immediately after the snap. A spike is technically an incomplete pass
, and therefore, it has the effect of stopping the clock and exhausting a down.
A spike is not considered intentional grounding
if it is done with the quarterback under center and immediately after the snap. No penalty
is assessed. The only loss is that one down is sacrificed.
Running a spike play presumes there will be at least one play by the same team immediately afterward, so it would not be done on 4th down or when it would run the clock out (the clock is probably running when the teams are lining up for the play). If either of those situations occurs, a quarterback whose first choice is to spike the ball would have to run a regular play instead. There is at least one case of a quarterback in the NFL doing just that, although that quarterback's regular play failed.
In the January 1998 Rose Bowl
, Ryan Leaf
spiked the ball and inadvertently ran the clock out on that play.
, players often celebrate by spiking the football, though this action is not legal in NCAA football
, as the scoring player is immediately obligated to either leave the ball or return the ball to an official. Spiking the ball remains legal in the NFL
, where it is not interpreted as excessive celebration unless the ball is spiked towards another player on the opposing team. The maneuver is attributed to Homer Jones of the New York Giants
in 1965.
Such action is not considered a "spike play." It has no official status.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
, a spike of the ball
Football (ball)
A football is an inflated ball used to play one of the various sports known as football.The first balls were made of natural materials, such as an inflated pig bladder, sometimes inside a leather cover...
is a play in which the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
intentionally throws the ball at the ground immediately after the snap. A spike is technically an incomplete pass
Incomplete pass
An incomplete pass is a term in American football which means that a legal forward pass hits the ground before a player on either team gains possession. For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers, and the receiver either does not touch it or tries to catch it...
, and therefore, it has the effect of stopping the clock and exhausting a down.
A spike is not considered intentional grounding
Intentional grounding
In gridiron football, intentional grounding is when a quarterback throws an incomplete pass toward an area of the field where there is clearly no eligible receiver. The penalty usually results in the loss of a down as well as 10 yards...
if it is done with the quarterback under center and immediately after the snap. No penalty
Penalty (American football)
In American football and Canadian football, a penalty is a sanction called against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow or orange colored "penalty flag" onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul...
is assessed. The only loss is that one down is sacrificed.
Running a spike play presumes there will be at least one play by the same team immediately afterward, so it would not be done on 4th down or when it would run the clock out (the clock is probably running when the teams are lining up for the play). If either of those situations occurs, a quarterback whose first choice is to spike the ball would have to run a regular play instead. There is at least one case of a quarterback in the NFL doing just that, although that quarterback's regular play failed.
In the January 1998 Rose Bowl
1998 Rose Bowl
The 1998 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1998 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. It was the 84th Rose Bowl Game. The game featured Michigan beating Washington State by a score of 21–16. The ending of the game is controversial...
, Ryan Leaf
Ryan Leaf
Ryan David Leaf is a former American football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons...
spiked the ball and inadvertently ran the clock out on that play.
Spiking after scoring
After scoring a touchdownTouchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, players often celebrate by spiking the football, though this action is not legal in NCAA football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, as the scoring player is immediately obligated to either leave the ball or return the ball to an official. Spiking the ball remains legal in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, where it is not interpreted as excessive celebration unless the ball is spiked towards another player on the opposing team. The maneuver is attributed to Homer Jones of the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1965.
Such action is not considered a "spike play." It has no official status.